Upper Banon Creek Falls is what I call them anyways. The folks at the District of North Cowichan said they don’t have a name but if you know more about that, let me know in the comments!

Upper Banon Creek Falls

The main falls are at the top of the set and are actually the easiest to get to. There are numerous falls above and below the main set but are difficult to get to. I recommend just going the main falls.

Is there a trail to Upper Banon Creek Falls?

No. It’s not far from the logging road to the falls but it’s a bushwhack, there is no trail. The first part is about 100 metres of thick overgrown clearcut. After that it’s about 500 meters up a steep hill through second growth trees. Here there is lots of blown down trees to navigate and thick salal. If you have a GPS to navigate to the falls it is not hard to navigate.

How to get to Upper Banon Creek Falls

Use these directions at your own risk. Logging roads change constantly and are always coming and going. A GPS is the easiest way to find your way around and always have a map and compass with you.

1. Turn off the highway south of Ladysmith onto South Watts Road

2. Drive past the water station

3. Drive past the power lines

4. Drive right at the T intersection (if you drive straight you’d go over a small bridge)

5. Take the second left up the hill – this road goes up the hill and then gets quite rough

6. Up hill through alder trees

7. Park at sharp right hand turn

Click Upper Banon Creek Falls or “View this” on the map below to take you to the GPS tracks and waypoints for this waterfall.

Vancouver Island Waterfalls

Upper Banon Creek Falls is one of many Vancouver Island Waterfalls but here are a few others near Ladysmith:

Christie Falls

Stocking Creek Falls

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The photos below are a day after heavy rain so the falls aren’t normally this large.

Directions are below the photos.

Directions to Christie Falls

There are multiple ways to get to Christie Falls. None of them are that difficult.

Christie Falls from Arroyo Road

I find this route easiest to follow. Drive to Christie Falls then Arroyo in Ladysmith. The road turns to dirt and goes through a gate which is often closed. There are two roads off to the right which lead to the fish hatchery. Follow either of these roads to the right.

Follow the route of the Great Trail (Trans Canada Trail) to the fish hatchery.

At the fish hatchery, turn upstream and follow the small trail parallel to Bush Creek. Follow this trail up to Christie Falls.

Christie Falls from Oyster Sto’Lo Road

Drive to the end of Oyster Sto’Lo Road off Highway 1, just north of Ladysmith. The dirt road off the right side of the end with the gate is the trail.

Follow this trail to the powerlines and go directly across the powerlines.

Follow this dirt road (west) all the way to the gravel-covered Great Trail (Trans Canada Trail).

Turn left (south) on the Great Trail and cross the 2 bridges to get to the fish hatchery.

Find the trail that leads upstream beside the creek and follow it to the top.

Christie Falls from Haslam Creek

This route is longer than the other 2.

Follow the Great Trail south from Haslam Creek all the way to the fish hatchery. Follow the trail from the hatchery upstream to Christie Falls.

Past Trips to Christie Falls

Christie Falls in September

Haslam Creek to Christie Falls

Other Vancouver Island Waterfalls

Vancouver Island is packed with good waterfalls. Every city has at least a few. See Vancouver Island Waterfalls for more.

The post Christie Falls first appeared on Pack & Trail.

The official trail starts at Ryan Place Gate and then forks to go up to Heart Lake via a connector trail or over to Stocking Lake. I turned left to go to Stocking Lake. That lead along the power lines for a few hundred metres. You can cut out this section by going further down Davis Road in Ladysmith then up Hall Road and Thetis Drive. You’ll find the trailhead in the next photo and get to skip the powerline walking. 

The actual trailhead to Stocking Lake with some interesting houses next door. 

A wet day. Even the ditches next to to the road were lush and full of water for photos. 

The access road ends and turns into rough double track at a Ladysmith water supply pond. 

The old pipes coming out of the ground are wood wrapped in wire. They aren’t used any more but a lot of old water supply pipe is still in the ground.  

Not sure what these were sticking out of the ground. I think they are vents or access points to the water pipes that run along here. 

A steep section. 

And a convenient bench right after to rest. 

Favorite spot of the day. I could have sat here for hours and watched the stream run by. The ferns hanging into the water and the wide shallow stream made me think of a place I spent a lot of time as a kid. 

The dam. The access road comes up to this point and forks to go both ways around the lake. 

Hard to miss these signs. 

Some days I can’t wait to see the end of the rain. Others I appreciate it to no end because it creates places like this. 

Della waiting for me. She’ll wait if I’m standing but if I crouch down then she comes running. 

Perfectly still water. You could see the tiny leaves of the plants in the reflections. 

Our other hiking buddy we found near the end of the hike. 

Another view of the lake before heading back down.  

The post Stocking Lake Loop from Ladysmith first appeared on Pack & Trail.

I’ve been north from Haslam Creek before, along the suspension bridge then on to Timberland Lake but I had never made the hike south to connect to Christie Falls near Ladysmith. If you haven’t, you’re not missing much. The hike is all logging road but if you end at Christie Falls then it’s a worthwhile adventure. I got a few photos out of it anyways.

I had to start walking at an orange gate. I drove the truck to this point along the potholed logging road. The dirt road had some deep holes up to this point but it didn’t require a 4×4.

It looks like the road is deactivated and not used much. It’s still a logging road though.

The brush on either side is quite thick and pretty. The sun was trying to shine through when I was out.

Logging road walking.

The sun cut out and left us in the fog.The first bridge you cross heading south. After the bridge head left to Christie Falls and the final bridge. If you turn right, it heads up to an abandoned mine. I’ll try and post some directions to that one soon.The final bridge (or first if you are heading north from Christie Falls) has a Trans Canada Trail sign near it. You can see where to go and what else is in the area.

** One note on signage, I didn’t see any. The best I could see was at Haslam Creek and then one random trail marker on a fence post heading south from there. That was it until the sign near Christie Falls said that was the Trans Canada Trail. Not sure why the other sections are so well marked and this one isn’t. It makes it a bit confusing. I had to drive in a few circles near the Haslam Creek entrance just to make sure there were no other roads for options to take. I recommend grabbing the GPS track to follow so you don’t get turned around.

If you don’t mind some dirty puddles you can from Haslam Creek and the powerlines south along the dirt road until you hit the orange gate. The woods are pretty around the road south of the powerlines so you could walk these. I just drove as far as I could and then started the hike.

Have you been along this stretch of the Trans Canada Trail? What did you think?

Let me know down in the comments below!

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